Dazzling Indian Festivals. Mouth Watering Food and Friendly Frolic
Indian festivals
India is a country of 1.4 billion people, and their vibrant festive celebrations don’t go unnoticed. Indians celebrate many festivals throughout the year, including Diwali, Dusshera, Navratri, Eid, Christmas, and Baisakhi. Apart from these festivals, the Indians also organize community meals, commonly known as langars.
During the festival time, most of us go out to meet our family and friends. While visiting, we usually bring sweets, chocolates, dry fruits, candies, candles, cakes, and a variety of other gifts in decorative packaging.
The fun part of festivals
It is always exciting to meet and greet our loved ones during the festive season as it doubles the joy. We eagerly wait for our favorite festivals so that we can wear new clothes, enjoy various sweets, and have endless fun with our friends. We also organize community meals for the poor, destitute, and penniless. These meals are served in plastic bowls and plates.
The day after festival
The following day, after joyous and vibrant celebrations, there is a leftover of plastic plates, mineral water bottles, and food packaging material strewn across the entire neighborhood. All the fun and vibrance evaporate the moment you see this senseless mess. As a community, we need to strive for better solutions regarding plastic waste and its disposal. The idea is to segregate and recycle back the plastic materials. The awareness is increasing, but it will take time to inculcate this essential discipline.
At least, we can start using an eco-friendly alternative to plastic packaging. Whenever langar is organized, let us ensure that the food will be served in biodegradable food packaging products. Usually, langar takes place outside temples, gurudwaras, and mosques. If the religious institution organizing committee is kept in the loop, they can instruct the food vendor for langar to use more sustainable food packaging products and provide adequate garbage bins. This will ensure both people and the environment remain happy & content.
Similarly, gift packets of sweets, chocolates, namkeen, cookies, and biscuits can also utilize eco-friendly products for packaging.
Evirocor’s efforts
Evirocor is an environmentally conscious organization and steps up its efforts at the grass root level by increasing awareness amongst the local food vendors about the benefits of environmentally friendly packaging. It can collaborate with them so that they can include Evirocor’s Oko products. The food vending sector in India is enormous & unorganized, and as these are minor players, the food is usually packed in the cheapest available option. If Evirocor can bring all parties under their brand umbrella, it would provide a better eco-friendly alternative to plastic food packaging and it would help the vendors to scale up, creating a win-win situation for all.